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1. The petitioner who claims himself to be a `public spirited person' has brought to this Court, by way of this writ petition filed in public interest, the problem of illegal squatting as well as encroachment on the foot-path and roads of Chandni Chowk area resulting into traffic jams as well. The grievance made in the writ petition, in the nutshell, is that non-squatting zones and non-parking areas indicated in the vicinity of Chandni Chowk have been used for huge parkings and also used by the vendors for vegetables and fruits sellers. It is stated in the petition that in the:

In view of the aforesaid stand and particularly when the matter is pending before the Apex Court which is monitoring the case as well, it is not necessary for us to go into this aspect in the present writ petition.

The only problem, therefore, which is left is regarding the encroachment on the footpath by the shopkeepers who keep their goods on footpath as well as in the varandas thereby blocking the free passage as well as unauthorised parking of vehicles on the road site leading to traffic jams. Counsel for the petitioner filed further photographs on 16.8.2001 showing the congestion and traffic jams. On this, report dated 20.8.2001 was filed by the then standing counsel, MCD, suggesting the measures to be adopted for tackling the traffic congestion and related problems in the area in question i.e. Chandni Chowk area. He proposed in his report the following short term measures for resolving the traffic congestion:

As per the aforesaid response as per which Delhi Traffic Police claims that it is taking earnest steps to curb the menace, it is expected that Delhi Traffic Police shall continue its drive to minimise the problem of traffic congestion. It would, however, not be out of place to mention that notwithstanding the aforesaid measures, in reality the problem still persists. In order to substantiate this, learned counsel for the petitioner has filed the photographs, as recent as on 19.1.2002 and these photographs would reveal:

This committee shall be entitled to visit the area from time to time and on finding any such problem existing in the area, it would be within its right to bring the same to the notice of the concerned authorities as the case may be for undertaking immediate steps to remove such a problem who shall take immediate steps for redressal of such problem being pointed out to them.